Lately

Lately I have been more busy during school than I have ever been before. I'm taking 6 classes that add up to 13 credits. Not a ton, right? Then each class has groups or outside projects. I have never had EVERY single class having out of class things. Here is a breakdown of the classes and what's going on:

Aerobic Fitness Techniques: Mon, Wed 8-9:30 plus 10 out of class teaching times and 5 in class teaching times. This class is a lot of fun. I can get certified through AFAA to be an Aerobics instructor. I'm planning on doing it, I just don't know where in the heck I'll teach. I think it would be a fun job to do a few times a week. I have always been very much into fitness. I think it started in Jr. High when I started playing sports all year round. Then starting my Freshman year in High School, even though I was playing sports year round I started exercising on the side as well. I've always been very health conscious which is why I wanted to be a nutritionist (not going to happen because I'm in Rexburg forever, unless someday I try to do it online). My major is Health Science and I have a cluster (2 clusters is the same as a minor) in Exercise Science. I absolutly love what I am learning. I really don't like the stressful process of being tested on it, but I love knowing it! Anywho - this class is tyring when you do nothing but aerobicize for an hour and a half in the morning (and then I have a dance class that same day), but I really enjoy it. I have 3 teaching things done (teaching a class how to use medicine balls, and then two classes how to spin(cycle)).

Adolescent Development: Mon, Wed. 9:45-11:15. Getting to this class is a little challenging at times because I have 15 minutes to change out of exercise clothes, into normal clothes, then haul myself to another building and up 3 flights of stairs. So, I'm usually there within a minute of being late or on time. Oh, and I'm sweaty, so it's gross. Oh, and I'm hungry, so I'm constantly eating within 15 minutes of sitting down and drinking my entire bottle of water. The second I get out of that class at 11:15 I go to lunch because I'm STARVING. I'm always so hungry. Exercising like a crazy person really makes me hungry. Adolescence... it's probably my most structured class. Before every class I have to have read the assigned chapter, taken a quiz on it 3 times, and then responded to a case study that we will be discussing that day and then writing up something else that was assigned. It takes up quite a bit of time, but I always get it done. I wish each of my classes were as structured and laid out as this one. My one complaint? That the teach would make a study guide before tests, because there is none. Just 4 chapters that are at least 30 pages each that I need to know.... blah. Each chapter is really interesting and the discussions during class are even better. I still feel like an adolescent, but I'm technically not... the nice thing about it being just a few years ago is that as we discuss all these theories and things about teens I can understand. This class goes towards my second cluster in Child Development.

Jazz Dance: Mon, Wed. 12:45-1:45. I picked this class up when my Sports Nutrition class (to be mentioned next) was moved to a later time and forced me to drop a soccer class. I had planned to take the Soccer class with one of my friends, but then Sp. Nutrition was moved from the morning to 2-3 which would be the second hour of soccer and make it impossible for me to attend. I would rather be taking the soccer class, but I am enjoying this dance class. I took dance classes when I was younger then danced on my Jr. High's and High Schools dance team for years. But this is a technical class and I am learning terms and things I didn't know before. I have to wear a leotard (yuck) and anything I wear over that (pants, capri's, shirts) have to be tight. The room we dance in is full of mirrors and I really don't enjoy that. If I could wear more comfortable clothes I don't think I would be as bothered by my reflection as I am (go ahead, roll your eyes.. but it bothers me). It's rediculous, but because of this, I don't enjoy the class as much as I should. We have learned two warm up routines and are learning our first dance routine. I really like the dance we are learning and have been practicing at home every night. I make Jaren turn the TV off and I play the Avril Laviegn song over and over and over while I do the first 4 8 counts we've learned. And for some amazing reason, he doesn't seem to mind, he just picks up his Bourne Supremacy book and reads. :) Every once in a while looking up and smiles and says, "that's good" and "your so cute". I think he loves me. We have to get into groups and make up our own dance routine on our own time before the semester ends.... I don't even know who is in my goup because she does not let us talk and does not give us time to figure it out.

Sports Nutrition: Mon, Wed, Fri, 2-3. Again, I have 15 minutes to change out of my leotard, into my normal clothes and then book it to the same building as my Adolescents class and the classrooms are right next door, so up the three flights of stairs and I get there a minute or two early each time. I sit down, am sweaty (gross again) and am also starving again so I eat AGAIN. Amazing I'm not gaining weight. Nutrition is the only class that came naturally to me. I got A's on every test and of course, ended up with an A in the class. So, I thought Sports Nutrition would be similar. NOPE. It's quite a bit harder and the class is not as structured/planned out as my first Nutrition class. The stuff I'm learning is interesting, just a bit hard to comprehend at at times. So, this class stresses me out at times. Oh, and we have to train someone outside of class.

Mondays after Sports Nutritoin: For an hour I volunteer(for a class) in the Wellness Center (the place where we do fitness assessments and do body comp (how you find out how much percent fat your body has)). The hour goes by really fast and I really enjoy working in this type of environment.

Fitness Appraisal and Presentation: Tues, Thurs. 8-9:30. Love this class. We have to train someone who needs to loose weight, and that wont be so bad. It's hard to describe everything we are learning because it's basically everything about assessing someone who needs to loose weight. It is this class that I volunteer in the welleness center for. It's taught by the same teach that taught my Kinesiology class last semeter that caused me so much turmoil. The class is infitily easier, but just as intersting and beneficial.

Exercise Physiology Lab: Thurs, 12:45-2:45. This class goes with the Exercise Phys class I took last summer.... quite a bit of the stuff we do in there follows along perfectly with the stuff the Exercise Phys class is learning. Only, I don't have the book and it's been quite a while since I've gone over it so I am getting reintroduced to quite a bit. Each class time we do some sort of testing to see a desired result. Here's an example: this week we had two subjects cycle on an Ergometor(cycling machine) whith a huge tube hooked up to their mouth. They cycled twice with rest inebetween at two different intensities. We wanted to see their EPOC (aka. Oxygen Debt. The heavy breathing that happens after you exercise. That happens because your body is trying to replenish the oxygen stores and is replenishing glucose stores and getting rid of the lactate as well). Next class we are doing hydrostatic weighing. Where you get in a pool and are weighed under water to get an accurate measurement of percent body fat. I'm one of the subjects for this and I hear it's extremely uncomfortable because you have to completely clear your lungs from air before you go under. I'm not sure how long you have to be under water for, but I guess you think your going to die. haha.... sounds so exciting. I am excited to get an accurate measurement of my body comp, though. What I've learned it is in the wellness center is great. It's a lot lower than I thought so I'm all sorts of feeling good about myself. I just hope the hydrostatic (that is more accurate that the body caliper) is consistent or better than the results I already have. We have to write lab write ups with groups out of class. So, theres the out of class thing for this class.

There's my 6 classes and what's going on. Monday through Thursday is exhausting. I'm busy all day and up at 6 every morning. By the time Thursday night comes around I'm so relieved to have made it through another week. I get to sleep in, or kind of sleep in since my body wakes me up at 7 anyway. I'm really trying to focus on not getting overwhelemed this semester, but it's hard.

I had two of the three cavities that needed to be filled filled Wednesday. I was so nervous I about cried talking to my Dentist about the whole thing. He understood and talked me through the whole thing, told me exactly what was going on which I apprecaited grately. The only problem, besides smelling my teeth dust and hearing that horrible grinding sound was that both were in the backs of my mouth so I had to open super wide. When I had my wisdom teeth pulled I was put under and one of them was way up high so they opened my mouth much too wide and sprained my jaw. That was almost 5 years ago and my jaw still get's sore every so often. So, having to open wider than is even remotly comfortable took it's toll and my jaw is feeling bruised and sore. Chewing cereal was really painful and I didn't get a whole lot down two mornings later. But, I will say that I am so impressed because I think he re-did one of my previous 9 and the one he did was still sensitive to cold. But I had ice cream last night and chewed it! I chewed it!! I haven't done that in two years! And it didn't bother me ONE bit. He fixed one of my teeth! I'm really happy about that. He also fixed my bite since it was off so this was a MUCH MUCH better experience than last time. He wants to fix one more tooth and we scheduled that for Tuesday morning. Hopefully it will be as good as this last one and hopefully it's much closer towards the front so I'm not opening wider than is natural.

Jaren has had a horrible cold for the last week. He is finally sounding better and feeling better. I've been scared to death to get it because of my crazy busy schedule and how much exercising I have to do. I just can't get sick this semester!! But, low and behold last night I started to cough. Today I feel just a little tired and my throat is just a little sore, but for the most part, besides the horrible racking cough, I feel okay. I hope it's not as bad as Jarens. Maybe because I'm exercising a whole lot I'm okay. We'll see.....

Oh, and my house accumulates horrible messes throught the whole week till Friday when I can finally do dishes and now I'm spending all day doing laundry and cleaning. UHG. And I think it's going to be like this this whole semester. I'm going to be SO GLAD when I'm finished. 2 months and 3 days to go.

Just A Little Upset

Just a little... or a lottle? I can't decide.

I've been wanting to share the story about my teeth for a while, but just have never done it. Well, after going to the dentist today I'll share and then you might be able to understand why I'm feeling the way I'm feeling.

I went to the dentist on April 4th, two days before I got married in 2007. I was still under my parent's insurance and my mom worked for the school district so dental was super cheap. I knew I had needed to go before I got married for months, but put it off. It's my own fault.

I asked Jaren who I should go to and he recommended Dr. W, who he has gone to since he was little and when I couldn't get an appointment as soon as I needed to he recommended Dr. A. I went, had X-ray's, he found one cavity - I was bummed. He told me that I should come back in after we got back from our honeymoon, that I would be fine as long as I came in in the next month.

3 weeks after we were married and I had started school and we were somewhat settled I made an appointment with Dr. W. He decided he wanted his own X-ray's (understandable). With these X-rays that had just been taken 3 weeks after my one cavity other X-rays he found 9 cavities. Count 'em, NINE. I was floored. I was panicking inside and trying so hard not to show it on the outside. NINE CAVITIES!?!!!!! Where did they come from?! I had had ONE three weeks before and one since I lost all my baby teeth.

My thoughts automatically turned to money. We had insurance but like most insurances, did not cover dental. I told Dr. W, I needed to ask my husband, because he was ready to start filling them right then. I was concentrating on not crying, so I sent Jaren a text instead of calling because if I talked to him I knew I would start to bawl. He said to get them filled.

I was given two options, fill all 9 right there, or do half now and half later. I chose to do half then and half later. I picked the porcelien because with nine cavities I knew my mouth would look made out of metal when they were done if I had chosen the metal fillings.

I was surprised at how quickly he filled 4 of them. He was a little violent with my mouth, but, he was a pretty big guy and he was drilling and jostling, it was to be expected. Right?

3 days later I went in again to get the other 5 filled. I was having so much sensetivity with the other 4, but I thought that was normal. I told Dr. W about it and he looked at them and said, "They are probably too high" so he drilled them down. He filled the other 5 and sent me on my way.

My bite was different, my mouth was killing me and to top it all off we were planning on getting me a lap top, but with this turn of events, we got me 9 white fillings instead. I was bummed.

I was told that my mouth should go back to normal a few days later. So I waited..... and waited.... and waited..... my mouth hurt and hurt. I couldn't drink anything that wasn't a teeny bit warmer than room tempurature. Or eat anything that wasn't the same temperature and it could not be harder than a hot dog.

I would wake up in the middle of the night with my mouth aching and my head killing me. My jaw would hurt horribly, too. I went in again and he thought they were still high... so he drilled them down some more.. by this time my teeth had no shape to the tops of them, they were just little bowls. One was even so sharp I couldn't run my tounge across it. I was given Valium and told to take it before bed because he thought my jaw was clenching and I was grinding my teeth.

The first night I took Valium was interesting to say the least. I took one pill - they are teeny by they way - and in 30 minutes I couldn't move. My entire body had seemed to loose it's ability to use my muscles. Jaren had to carry me to bed.

Waking up was weird, too. I was groggy and still lacked some motor capabilities. I decided I wasn't taking it every night and when I did I was cutting the pill in half. When I would take the half a pill I could at least walk and move around. It was still really hard and I didn't have a lot of strength but Jaren just had to walk me to bed - not carry me.

A month went by and I was still drinking warm water through a straw. And the water could NOT touch my teeth or I would start to cry - it hurt so horribly bad. I ate hot dogs and soup. The kind of soup you drink. I ate tons of rice a roni and mac and cheese. Bread hurt because the second it touched my teeth it was too cold. I tried to eat a chewy granola bar and about died. And when I went into Dr. W again telling him it hasn't gotten better - it feels even worse he mentioned that I might have to get root canals. I wanted to scream.

Instead he just ground them down some more.

Another month went by and I had lost a few pounds. I was still waking up with my jaw hurting and I was constantly starving. I started to take Motrin. A lot of it. I didn't realize that I was taking too much because I was in such pain. I took anywhere from 10-14 in a day. It helped a lot, though. My head aches went away when I took it and my jaw stopped aching. It even hurt to breath AIR. If I walked outside and the air was too cold it stung my teeth.

One day, my mom was at my Grandma's for I think Father's Day and my Uncle Charlie was there who is a dentist. She mentioned about how sensitive my teeth were after 2 months of having them worked on. This perked my uncle right up and he started asking questions. He told her that it should never be like that, that something was wrong. He told her to have me call him -so I did. Right away. I told him what had happened and how I was feeling, he told me that as soon as I could get to Spokane he would take a look and fix me. I finally felt like maybe I wasn't going to have to live off of drinkable soup for the rest of my life.

I don't know how to explain how those 3 months were for me..... I was always hungry, I weighed less than I had in 7 years. I was constantly getting "stung" by something too hot or too cold and I would cry because it hurt so bad. I had horrible head aches and my jaw hurt all the time. I would get really sick and I didn't know why. I even went to the doctor trying to figure out what was wrong. I told him I was taking like 12 Motrin a day and he just nodded and said, "MMM, hmm.." He thought I had IBS. So he gave me some pills. I was really tired of taking pills, by the way.

I took the IBS pills once and thought I was going to throw up for 3 full hours. I never took them again. I knew it wasn't IBS. I was pretty sure it was because of the Motrin. But I was in so much pain that I kept taking it. Finally I had a pretty bad scare where I got really really sick and I was freaking out.

I was crying hysterically and Jaren grabbed the computer and started looking up side effects of the birth control I was taking and Motrin. Sure enough he listed off the adverse side effects of Motrin and I had about all of them. I stopped taking it immediatley and have maybe taken 4 pills since.

In August I finally made it to Spokane. My uncle looked at the X-Rays I had sent to him and then looked at my teeth. He kept saying how horrible they looked and how sorry he was for me. It was his day off and he came in just to find out what was wrong. He and a guy that was buying his practice had come in just for me.

I laid there for 6 hours with my mouth pried open and hands in drilling on my teeth. I had had so much numbing things I couldn't feel my face or my ears. My uncle chipped out every single peice of filling and found holes in the fillings and under them my teeth were rotting. He found teeny cavities that Dr. W had drilled around and made huge. He took his time on each tooth and shaped them so they had the grooves of my real teeth. He and the other Dentist skipped lunch to keep working on me. I could hear both of their stomach's growling and I was grateful for them and that I shoved a huge hamburger down my throat before I had come in. Just in case.

Just 5 days after that I was able to eat a carrot. A carrot!! Oh, no one realizes how nice it was. I could only chew it with my front teeth and I had to let it get a little warm, but I was still able to eat it! I could tell a difference immediatly. I healed quite steadily over the next 4 or 5 months. Slowly I was able to eat a sandwhich, and at my 2 month mark I was able to eat a salad. No one knows how much they take their teeth for granted until they cant eat because of them.

I am forever grateful to my Uncle for taking an entire day to hunch over my mouth and fix every little centemeter of my teeth. How do you thank someone for something like that? He's a saint.

So, needless to say after all of that I have not been too excited about going to the dentist again. But I went in July of last year to Dr. L. He was very nice and said my Uncle did a very good job. He has no idea. (well... maybe he does... but really......) He said there was one tooth, (the one that caused me the most pain and was the hardest for my Uncle C. to fix) that was going to need to be watched. It was the same tooth my Uncle said might need a Root Canal someday. Dangit.

But I left there with no new cavities and I felt better. I floss and brush my teeth like no other now. I've learned my lesson and I hope you have also learned my lesson.

But. Here's the upsetting part. The last 2 months I have had 2 incidences where I have eaten something sweet and the one troublesome tooth has hurt. A feeling of dread went through me both times, but then I just continued to eat my mini Snickers and it didn't hurt again.

Today was my second Dentist appointment since my Uncle fixed me. Dr. L poked and prodded at a few of my teeth and only one hurt. The one that was sensetive while eating mini Snickers and a gummy bear. He didn't sound quite like it needed to be filled, but then as I was leaving the dental assistant said, "Alright, do you want me to schedule you a date?" I'm thinking.... in 6 months for my next appointment?? Getting aheald of ourselves, aren't we? So I asked, "For what?" She said, "To fill your cavities." Me: "I HAVE CAVITIES?!?!!!!!!!" She got a little uncomfortable and said, "Yeah... like, 2.. or 3.... or 4 or something, I'm not sure..." OH. MY. STARS. AND. GUARDERS. Again, do not cry... do NOT cry! So I didn't, and I told her that I would give them a call to schedule a time later.

I called Jaren and told him and he just apologized and said sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I cried and I'm feeling so.... sad about it. I can't understand how so quickly I went from one cavity in like 10 years to all the sudden almost my whole mouth needs to be replaced. My experience was so horrible that I just dread the dentist and I'm scared to death of having cavities for fear of a root canal or a repeat of the past. I can finally drink ice water again!! After a year and a half I can drink ice in water - but it's still a little uncomfortable. I'm sure that I wont have a repeat of what happened in '07, but I'm still scared and scarred over it. When I go back in I'm going to ask that only the one that hurt when he poked it get filled. If it's not hurting me, then I'm sure I'm fine. I take care of my mouth so I should be able to keep the others at bay for a while, right?

It just feels like a nightmare I can't get out of. This isn't even the first bad mouth experience. Wait till I tell you all about my wisdom teeth.